Milking machinery.



MILKING MACHINERY.

APPLIOATION FILED FEBJB, 1908. v

' Patented Apr. '19, 1910.

W 0 T S Tl R B O & S N TL G G I W A R 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WI/lass.

R. A. WIGGINS & G. BRISTOW.

MILKING MACHINERY. i i

AYPLIOATIOH FILED'IEBJB. 1908.

' Patented Apr. 19, 1910.

flu-enters W Jim/we?" i i i UNITED s'rarrps PATENT ornion.

ROBERT ANDREW WIGGINS AND CHARLES mus'row, or CHRISTCHURCH, new aZEALAND.

KILKING MACHINERY.

Application tlledlebruary 28, 1908. Serial No. 418,405.

- To all whom 'it ma concern: '.-..Bc it" known tint, we, RomnrrAxniiizw W'iooiss and CHARLES lhnsrnnv, subjects f His Majesty the Kingof Great Britain ai d Ireland, residin at Christchurch, in theProvincial District of Canterbury, Dominion of New Zealand, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Milking Machinery, of which thefollowing is a s ecitication.

This invention relates to milking machincry of the ty wherein milk isexpressed from the tent air pressure produced in a flexible pouch whichreceives the teat.

Accmiling' to this invention the rapidity of milking is much increasedby alternating a partial vacuum with the air pressurein the teatpouchesyand the teat cups containiug the pouches are retained upon theteats by means of a low vacuum.

In the accompanying drawin sz Figure 1 is a general arrangement in sideelevation. Figs. 2, an elevation partly in section, and

- Fig. 3, a corresponding plan partly in section of an air pump. Fig. 4,is a side scetional elevation of a controller, Fig. fi, :1 plan thereof,with its cover removed. Fig. (i is: sectional plan on line A--A, of Fig.4 and Fig. 7, a sectional elevation on line Il--B, Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is atransverse sectional elevation showing amodiliod form of controller.'Fig. 9 isa plan of a cam and detcut. Figs. 10 and 11 are respectivelyan elevation, partly in section, and a plan partly in section of a tentcup. Fig. 1;. a sectional elevation of a teat pouch, Fig. 12), an endrspeciivc elevation of a screw socket. *ig; 14, an elevation of anozzle. Fig. 15, an elevation of a teat cup, casing opened out. Fig. 16is an elevation, and Fig. 17 a plan of the apparatus showing a modifiedform of the controller. Fig. 18 is ii perspective view of a revolvingvalve.

plan of mechanism for reciprm-atiiig the shaft of the controller shownin Figs. 4 to F'g. 19 is a. front elevation, and Fig. 20. a

air which is compressed therein by the pump 1, a gage 5) being providedto indicate the pressure. A pipe'10 and its branch pipe 41 conduct: thecompressed air to the controller 11 which is operated by a belt. 12 froma. 5

pulley 13 upon the pum 1. Compressed air passes intermittently rom thecontroller through fiexible pipes 14 and 1:) to cups 16, fitting uponthe teats of the cow 1'? (indicated by dotted lines). A vacuum vessel 18is voided of air by the pump 1 and is in; communication with thecontroller through a pipe 19 and branch pipe 38 and with a closed milkpail 20 by a down pipe 27. A flexible pipe 22 connects the milk pail tothe .cu )s 16 in manner hereinafter described.

in P3 he pump 1 is shown on a large scale in Figs. and R". The cylinders23 and 24, with their parts, are similar to each other, in all respects,wi h the exception that the valves 25 and 2G in the chest 27 of thecylinder 23 are arranged to allow the air to pass to the compressionchamber 8 while. similar valves in the corresponding chest 28 ofthe-cylinder 21 are reversed to allow air to be drawn from the vacuumvessel 18 and to be discharged into the atmospherethrough the valves 31and The valves 29 and 30 allow air to be drawn into the cylinder 23 fromthe atmosphere. A double acting piston, 33, in the cylinder 23, and acorrespond ing piston in'the cylinder 24 have iiston rods 31 and 215respe tively .connectci to a cross-head 36. The central part. 37, of thecross head is cylindrical and has tubular strengthening flanges 39 and40 at its ends and slots 42 and 43 extending through the greater part.of the length of its sides. slide lilock 45 fits the interior of thetubular part 37 and receives a pin 47 projecting from the face of a disk48 and passing through the slots 12 and 43. The pulley 'i and the disk4S :irisecured upon a shaft 50, \vhercon is also mounted a loose pulley51. .The rotation of the shaft 50 mciprocates both pis- 100 the pipe 54.from the vacuum wessel 1.8 105 (Fig. 1).

The controller is clearly illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, (S and 7, andcomprises three iiitegral valve chests 56, 57 and 58 closed air tight.by a single cover 60, which is secured 110 'iutegral with the valvechests. Screws (i8 screwed through the bar bear upon the cover which isthus clampedupon the valve chests. The branch pipe 41 has a bifurcatedend (,9 and admits compressed air from the compression chamber 8 to thevalve chests 50 and 57, and air is drawn out of the chest 58 through thebranch pipe 38 and through the vacuum chamber 18. Valves 71, 72 and 73are pivoted in the/chests 56, 57 and 58 respectively, by their stems 74,75 and 76. The valves 71, and 72 cover ports 78 and 79, respectively,and the valve 73 covers ports 80 and 81 formed in the bottom of thevalve chests. Detents 83, 84 and 85 are secured upon the stems 74, 75and 76, respectively, by screws 86, 87 and 89, and springs 77 incompression between the detents 83 I and 84 and the bottom of the chestkeep the hinged bysto valves 71 and 72 down upon their seats. In thecase of the stem 76, its spring 77 is located between the bottom of thecontroller and washer 106 secured upon the said stem.

The valves 71, 72 and 7 3 are normally retained in the positions shownin Fig. 5 by the springs 77 which have one end secured to the bottom ofthe valve chest and their other ends respectively fixed to the detents83,84 and the washer 106. A shaft 90, slidable in bearings (one ofwhich, 91, is shown in the drawings) has triggers 92, 93 and 94 securedupon it by screws 95, 96 and 97. The toes 98, 99 and 100 of thesetriggers are joints and have springs 82 which normal y retain the saidtoes in the positions shown in Fig. 6. The shaft 90 is reciprocated by apin, 101 (see Figs. 1, 19 and 20) projecting from the face of the disk102 secured upon a counter shaft 103. The

belt 12 passes around a pulley, 104 and rotates the shaft 103. The pin101 engages a forked bracket 105 secured upon the shaft 90 by a screw107. When thc'shaft 90 is moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6,the tri ger, 92, first operates the. detent S3 to turn tie valve 71 uponits pivot and uncover the port 78;the trigger 93 next operates thedetent 8t and its valve 72 to un cover the port 79; and finally thetrigger 94 operates the detent 85 and its valve 73 to uncover the ports80 and'81, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The positions of thetriggers 92 and 93 are such that the deteuts 83 and 84 are released toallow the valves- 71 and 72 to close the ports 78 and 79 before thevalve 73 uncovers the ports 80 and St.

On the return stroke of the shaft 90, the toes 98, 99 and 100 pivot ontheir joints against the pressure of their springs when they contactwith the detents 83, 84 and 85. The-ports 78 and 7-9 are fitted withpipes 109' and 110. each of which is divided into the pipes 14 andrespectively, see Figs. 1,

16, 21 and 22. Branches 112 and 113 connectthe pipes 109 and 110 to theports 80 and 81, respectively.

Fig. 8 shows a modification whereby the valve 115 is made to lift on aspherical part 117, formed at the top of its stem 118 an fitting a eorrending spherical bearing in the bottom of t ie chest. The stem, 118, hasa horizontal member, 119, operated by a. cam 120, fixed to the shaft 90,which in this case is made to rotate. The valve'is made to close uponits seat by a spring, 121, in compress on between the valve and thecover 60 and retained in position by pro'ection 126 provided upon thecover and val speetively. V r

' Fig. 9 shows a further modification, whereby a detent 190, similar todetents 83, 81 and 85 is oscillated by a rotating cam 122 shapedsimilarly to a screw propeller, the detcut being operated twiceduringeach revolution of the cam. This modification may take the placeof the parts 83 and 98: S1 and 99; 85 and 100; being repeated for eachof these co-acting pairs.

The milk pail 20 (see Figs. 1 and 20a is made of any desired shape whichw' stand'a low vacuum and is closed by a.

cover 123. The. down ip: 27 is connected to a. nozzle, 12-1 upon tiecover by a detachable length of flexible pipe, 125.

The cups 16 and their parts-are illustrated in Figs. 10 to 15 inc usiveand comprise an outer metal casing, 127, made in two symmetrical parts,hin ed together by joints, 128, and so shaped t lat when closed the twoparts form a cylinder with screwed nozzles 129 and 130. In the closedposition of the casing the parts are secured together by sockets 13..and 133 screwed upon the nozzles 129 and 130 respectively. The in teriorof the cup consists of a pouch,.134, made of india rubber andapproximately cylindrical in shape. An annular chamber 135, at the topof the pouch, extends arounn the ouch, through part of the greaterlengtl thereof, and communicates with a nozzle, 136, integral with thepouch. A sec- 0nd and larger annular chamber 137, also surrounds thepouch, extends throughout the length thereof and communicates with asecond nozzle 139, also integral with the pouch. The screwed nozzles,129 and of the casing 127, are adapted to fit around the rubber nozzles136 an 139 respectively. The upper end of the pouch has an integralneck, 140, adapted to be turned over the top of the casing, 127, asshown in Fig. 10, where it is retained by a rubber cap, 141, providedwith a hole, 142, through which the teat of the cow passes. The lowerend of the pouch has an integral conical mouth ieee, 144, wherein fits ametal nozzle,'145,

aving an integral neck, 146, adapted to lit the flexible pipe 22.- Abovethe end of the said flexible pin: a glass tube, 147, is cemented insideme neck, 146, and apertures, 151 are made int! o neck to enable the flow'of milk from the teat to be observed.

F igs; 16, 17 and 18show a modified form of controller, which consistsof a. hollow cylindcr Htlfprmided with ports 149 and 150 for admissionof compressed air from the pipe 10 and a ])O1't 152, communicating withthe vacuum pipe 19. Ports 15-; and 154 .form communications between thepipes 10!) and 110 leading to the teat cups, and chambers 156 and157,formed in the sides of the cylinder 148. The said cylinder, 148, isfitted with a cylindrical valve, 158, rotated (in the direction shown bythe arrow) by sour Wheels 159 and 160 when quick speed is desired, or byspur wheels 16] and 162 when slow speed is desired, the shaft 163 beingprovided with a pulley 164 to receive the helt..12, and. with a clutch,165,

-adapted to engage the boss 1 16 or 167 of the wheels 159 and 161'.respectively. The clutch is driven by a feather upon the shaft and thewheels 1551 and 161 are mounted loosely on theirshaft in a well knownmanner. The valve, 158, has ports 169, 170. 171 and 172 which. duringthe rotation of the valve, successively form communications between theports 149. 150, 152, 153 and 154, to admit and exhaust air to and fromthe teat cups. Y

- By referring to F g. 17 it will he seen that the port 16!) has,traveledbeyond the port 149 after making coinmmiications between theport. 149 and the chamber 156, thus allowing compressed air to pass intothe pipe 109, communicating with the annular chamher 135 of the teat cup16. The port 17.! is open to the port 150 and will shortly be open tochamber 157, when compressed air will pass to the pipe 110communicatiirg with the annular-chamber 137ofthe teat cup in. The port170 is next in succession and will form communication between the port152 and the chamber 156 and thereby allow the air to escape from thepipe 109. after having done workiu the annular chamber 131') to thevacuum pipe 19. Similarly the port 171 will form communication betweenthe port 152 and the chamber 1T3? and allow air to escape from the pipe110 to the vacuum pipe 19. These operations are-repcated at eachrotation of the valve.

The pipes 14am] to are readily detachable from the pipes 109 and 110 bymeans of a coupling shown in Figs. 1, 16, 21 and 22.

Nipples 175 and 176 fit into flexible pipes 177 and 178 attached to thesaid pipes 109 and 110 and have sloping slots, 17!) adapted to engagepins 180 projecting radially from the head 181 of a union 182. The base,

183, of the union is hollow and has nipples,

184 adapted to enter thepipes 1 4 and 15. A

rubber washer, 185, makes an a r tight joint;

into the receiver 8 and exhausted air front the vacuum vessel 18, thecups it; are adjusted upon the teats of the cow. The controller is putinto operation by reciprocating the shaft 90 and the valve 71 operatedby the shaft 90 and the detent 92 admitting (m: pressed air to theannular chamber 135 of the pouch 134. The upper part of the teat isthereby compressed and during this compression of the teat the valvev 72is opened by the movement of the sha ft 90 and the dctent 93 to admitair to the annular chamber 137. The remainder of the teat is thuscompressed to expel the milk which passes through the tube 9:2 into themilk pail '20.'

(See Fig. 1). The valves 71 and 72 then close by the return of the shaftand the valve 73 is opened to allow air to exhaust from the teat cupsinto the vacuum vessel. The shaft 90 returns to its original positionand the cycle of operation is r peated as long as required to milk thecow. The cups are retained upon the teat of the cow by the vacuum set upin the. milk pail, the vacuum being suflicient for this purpo e, but toolow to draw milk from the' teat. 'e have found that a vacuum of aboutlive inches of incrcury will keep the cups .--:ecurely in position butwill not i raw milk from the teats ot' thecow. In order that there maybe a free small hole, 185, in the nozzle 145 (see Fig. 14) and a pivotedcoverdfi!) whereby the. said hole may he. covered more or less as H-quired to allow suliicicnt air to enter the nozzle 145 for the )urposeof providing a free flow for the lllll lt, but insuthcicut to destroythe vacuum in the cups,

'0 have shown apparatus-formilkingoue cow, but pipes 10 aiul 1.) and theshaft tit) may be extended to other cow stalls provided How of milk fromthe teat cup, we provide a r with other controllers, teat cups and milkpails, all operated by the pump 1.

Having thus described our invention, what we Omit]! as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for the purpose indicated, com prising a teat-cup designedto receive the teat of a cow. said cup having a metal casing and a pouchwith superposed annular chambers, means for supplying air underpulsative pressure. to said chambers independcntly, means whereby avacuum is created in the pouch for the purpose of retaining the cup uponthe teat and means wherebythe pressure is applied first to the upperpart of the teat, then to the lower part. thereof, substantially as setforth.

2 Apparatus for the purpose indicated,

comprising a teat cup designed to-receivc the mg and a pouch witsuperposed annular chamlwrs, means for sup ilylng air nude pulsativepressure to said chambers independently and means whereby a vacuum 15created in the pouch for the purpose of 1".- taiuing the cup upon theteat, substantially as set. forth. i

3. Apparatus forthc purpose indicated, comprising in combination, a teatcn designed to receive the teat of a cow, sai cup having a metal casingand superposed annular chambers, a controller for alternately admittingair to, and releasing air from the chambers and comprising distinctparts for operating the several chambers, and imlepeudentpipesconnecting each of said parts of the controller with the correspondingannular chamber, and 'IHCIIHS whereby a vacuum is created in the pouchfor the purpose of retaining the cup upon the teat,'substantiall as setforth.

4. Apparatus for the purpose indicated, comprising in combination, ateat cup designed to receive the teat. of a cow, said cup having a metalcasing and a pouch containing annular chambers, a controller dividedinto three valve chests having ports, valves adapted to cover the saidports, means for operating the valves successively, means for supplyingair under pressure to two of said valve chests, means for exhausting airfrom the third valve chest and necessary connection between said annularchambers and said valve chests respectively, substantially as set forth.

5'. In apparatus for the purpose indicated, a teat cup comprising ametal casing in two parts hinged together. screwed nipples in two partsintegral with the said parts of the casing, sockets screwed upon thesaid nipples, a flexible pouch within and supported by easing, means forsupplying air under pnlsat ive pressure to chambers in said pouch, andmeans whereby a vacuum is created in the pouch for the purpose ofretaining the cup upon the teat, substantially as set forth.

6. In apparatus for the purpose indicated, a receiver supplied with airunder pressure, a controller divided into valve chests, valves in thevalve chests, a bifurcated pipe conncctiugthe receiver and the first andsecond 'alvc chests of the controller, means for operating the valves toopen and close successively, ports in thesaid valve chests, a

teatcup adapted to fit upon the teat of a cow, said cap having a pouch,independent; pipes connecting the ports of the valve chest to annularchambers in the pouch, and

means for exhausting the air from the said pipes, substantially assetforth.

t. In apparatus for the purpose indicated, a controller divided intovalve chests having ports, spring operated valves in the valve chestsadapted to open and close the said ports, stems pivoting the valves inthe valve chests. detcnts secured upon the valve stems, a reciprocatingshaft, triggers having spring operated toes and located upon the shaftin positions to operate the valves successively, substantially as setforth.

8. In apparatus for the purpose indicated, a controller divided intovalve chests having ports, valves in the valve chests, the first ansecond of said valve chests receiving air under pressure and the thirdchest being exhausted of air, means for operating the valves to open andclose the ports successively, pipes leading from two of said ports, andbranch pipes exhausting into the third valve chest when the third valveis operated, substantially as set; forth.

9. In apparatus for the purpose indicated, a teat cup comprising anouter casing in two parts hinged together, a flexible pouch fittin" thecasing and having an annular chain )tl' near the top an annular chambersuperposed upon the first chamber, and extending throughout the lengthof the casing, integral nipples communicating with the annular chambers,an integral neck adapted to fold over the top of the casing and a capfitting upon the said neck and having a hole through which the eows teatpasses, substantially as set forth.

10. In apparatus for the purpose indicated. a teat cup comprising anouter casing, a flexible pouch tilting the casing, a conical mouthintegral with the bottom of the pouch, and a metal nozzle fitting thesaid mouth. and a pivoted cover adapted to close a vent hole in the saidnozzle, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two witnesse.

7 ROBERT ANDREW \VIt'iGrIN CHARLES BRISTOlV.

